Living Life

This rather rickety old bicycle parked in a nondescript corner of our compound brought back memories.
I still remember the time when I first tried to ride one and fell flat on my face.
I also recall when, as a seven-year old, I borrowed the neighbour’s bicycle to go to the market and I also recall how once I took the gardener’s cycle to run an errand and walked back home, not remembering I had actually cycled.
And, then, when I got my first real bicycle, costing all of 300 Indian rupees (now less than $6), I recall the celebrations at home.
That was when the bicycle was such an integral part of everyone’s lives.
Children rode it to the playground, went to school on it, visited friends, took part in school cycle races and ran errands; grown-ups cycled to work (there were few scooters and fewer cars); went to the cinema and to the restaurant (the few that existed then) and even fixed any problems it had themselves.
These days, however, the cycle is history as far as ordinary riding is concerned. There are scooters, motorcycles, cars, mopeds and what have you so no one likes this two-wheeled wonder any more. The children, in particular, would rather be picked up and dropped than ride a bicycle (the chaotic traffic is partly to blame).
The only time we see a cycle is when we order something from the store across the block or when the gardener comes (yes, he still uses the bicycle). And, of course, there are the car cleaners who ply their trade from it.
I would myself want to get on one – again – and if not use it all the time, would not mind cycling a few kilometers every day.
At least my generation had the good fortune of living life rough and tough! Not any more. Everything’s far too comfortable now. The present generation does not know what it’s missing.
They are existing! Not living any more! That’s a pity!

When I was a kid, a bicycle was your first real freedom… if you had your own wheels you could travel anywhere. I still see little kids learning to ride, but once they become 9 or 10 years old it isn’t cool to ride bikes anymore. My mother-in-law still rides her bicycle up town to do a little shopping. It has a basket on the front to carry items. I admire that. Nice post!!

I don’t ride a bicycle anymore – though I would love to. But whenever I see one, it makes me want to take a picture. and it brings back memories! Of late, I have seen some variants, with three wheels, and large baskets, on the streets. Will try that out sometimes, perhaps!